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How a business should switch energy suppliers

5 Sep

How a business should switch energy suppliers

Posted on Sep 5, 2016
by Simon Thompson

All businesses and organisations are looking to control their costs and with energy bills rising, and looking set to rise more quickly in the years to come, then all businesses should understand how they can switch energy suppliers.

The first point is that this is a very straightforward process and the benefits of reducing energy bills will be felt immediately.

The easiest way to switch energy suppliers for a business is to contact several to see what offers they have to attract you as a customer. It’s also important that speaking with more than one energy supplier will also establish a benchmark for prices and offers that can also be used as a negotiating tactic.

Also, a business that’s on a deemed, or default, tariff should also appreciate that their energy supplier must take reasonable steps to tell them about other contracts that are available and how they can find more information.

Businesses looking to switch their energy supplier

Businesses looking to switch their energy supplier should also take regular meter readings as these will give a fair picture of their consumption over a period of time and help give a potential new energy supplier an idea of what your demands and needs will be.

Before switching suppliers, a business should also ensure that they know the terms and conditions of their current contract they have with their energy supplier such as knowing when the contract ends and how much notice they need to give a supplier before switching.

It should be appreciated that some business energy suppliers will detail within a contract when this can occur.

Any business that is looking into an energy switch

Any business that is looking into an energy switch should also ask the potential new energy supplier to explain their terms and conditions of any deal so the business understands the benefits before signing up to it.

The main reason for doing this is that most business energy supply deals do not incorporate a cooling off period which is the period of time that a contract can be cancelled after it’s been signed.

While it’s tempting to reduce costs by switching business energy suppliers, those looking to switch should also understand that the current supplier can place an objection to the switching to a new supplier only under strict criteria which includes having a debt with the current supplier or that switching would break the terms of a contract.

However, the supplier cannot place an objection to switch suppliers if the business is on a deemed contract and if the contract itself has expired and the business is not bound by its terms.

While there are lots of business energy suppliers offering interesting deals, it also pays to visit specialist comparison websites or speak with the helpful team at D-Energi for more information about how to switch energy suppliers are smoothly as possible and save money too.

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We have seen a recent increase of our prospective customers signing letters of authority known from within the industry as LOA’s. Letters of authority enable third parties such as energy brokers and consultants to collect data so a gas or electricity quote can be offered. However we have seen an increasing number of brokers and consultants not only offering gas and electricity quotes, but will go as far as to change your supply to another provider without any further consultation and not informing the end user of any prices. We strongly advise customers to thorughly check the content of any Letter Of Authority which is signed. This document is important because under the Data Protection Act you have a right to confidentiality. Be careful that Letters of authority do not mention “the right to change supply” as this could lead to higher bills with out the end user being aware.

Should you smell gas or suspect there has been a leak of other fumes such as carbon monoxide you should call the free 24 hour national emergency number on 0800 111 999 immediately. It is the responsibility of your gas distributor to make your property safe but the following will outline what precautions you should take after you have called 0800 111 999 and then what steps need to be taken after the engineer has visited.
Natural Gas
If you are able to smell gas then please ensure you follow these steps:
Call the national emergency number on 0800 111 999
Do not use your mobile phone to make this call if you are in the property where there is a suspected gas leak. If your only option is to use a mobile phone then make the call either outside or in a neighbouring property
Open all doors and windows
Never use matches, lighters or any other type of naked flame
Do not smoke
Do not switch any electrical appliances on or off, this includes doorbells and lights
Ensure that the gas supply to any appliances has not been left on and that the pilot light on any boilers has not gone out
If you know how to and feel comfortable doing it then turn off the gas supply at the meter
It is not your responsibility to fix any gas leaks at your property, this is the responsibility or your gas distributor and once you have reported the leak through the national emergency number they will visit your property free of charge. Make sure the engineer is a Gas Safe registered engineer and request to see the necessary documentation confirming this.
If the leak is in a domestic property they may be able to make it safe by switching off the gas supply. Provided they are able to the gas engineer will fix the leak there and then, if not they will isolate the faulty appliance and switch the gas back on if it is safe to do so.
Once the engineer has completed all the work they are able to they will leave all the relevant information concerning who to contact should any repairs need to be made. If the fault is with the distribution company and you are left without gas for more than 24 hours you will be entitled to compensation. You will need to contact your supplier should this apply to you.
Carbon Monoxide
A carbon monoxide leak is just as dangerous as a natural gas leak, though it is not combustible like natural gas it is poisonous and restricts your bloods ability to transport oxygen around your body. However, it is much more difficult to notice as carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless but there are indicators to look out for:
Flames on gas appliances burn orange or yellow instead of blue
There is undue condensation on your windows
There is visible soot or a scorched look on any gas appliances
The pilot light on any of your boilers frequently goes out
The easiet possible way is to invest in a carbon monoxide detector, the Gas Safe Register states the following on their website:
“Gas Safe Register recommends the use of audible carbon monoxide alarms. It should be marked to EN 50291 and also have the British Standards’ Kitemark or another European approval organisation’s mark on it. CO alarms usually have a battery life of up to 5 years. Fit an alarm in each room with a gas appliance. Always follow the alarm manufacturer’s instructions on siting, testing and replacing the alarm. Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present, they don’t make a sound. It is important to choose an alarm that will wake you up if you’re asleep, or you may not be aware of early CO symptoms until it is too late.”
If you suspect there is a carbon monoxide leak or your carbon monoxide alarm has alerted you to one then you must:
Leave the property immediately
Call national emergency number on 0800 111 999
If any from the property is displaying any of the following symptoms seek urgent medical attention as they may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning:
headaches
dizziness
nausea
breathlessness
collapse
loss of consciousness
Turn off any appliances and do not switch them back on until they have been checked
Ensure that any and all repairs are completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer
Following these steps will help to ensure the safety of anyone at a property affected by either a natural gas leak or carbon monoxide leak. As a matter of precaution make sure the national emergency number is kept somewhere prominent in the property so that it can be found by anyone in the event of any kind of leak and that any residents or employees at the property are aware of the above.